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Brick Game
The Brick Game is a dedicated handheld game console popular in the the early 1990s. Introduced in China, it was originally intended as a clone variant of the original Tetris that dates back to 1984-1985 in the former Soviet Union which is developed by Russian programmer Alexey Pazhitnov for the Soviet ELEKTRONIKA-60 home computer system. In general, the Brick Game is a traditional LCD electronic game, that displays games in 10 x 20 grid screen, the same grid size used in Tetris. The games are usually arranged within alphabetical letters, with each letter corresponds with different games. Each game has its own variations by selecting the number below the letter. The difficulty level and speed of each game can be adjusted by pressing the left or right D-pad. Brick Game was popular after a few years following the success of Tetris and similar puzzle video games in the late 1980s. It still manufactured in China and it is often considered as a low-cost toy that can be easily found on dollar stores or toy stores. Even though the handheld gaming industry was popularized by Nintendo's Game Boy in the early-1990s, the Brick Game remained as a popular electronic game as an affordable alternative that is readily available in the market. Today, the Brick Game has become significantly rarer in electronic stores and mostly superseded by handheld NES clone consoles. However, it is still iconic as a collector item among retro-gaming enthusiasts. Common games *Simple clones and variants of Tetris. This one come in many different variations, ranging from normal Tetris pieces to complex variations featuring unusual pieces and even pieces that could shoot. To avoid infringing copyright of the original Tetris, this game ie simply named "Brick Game" on the console's packaging or user manual. *A simplistic racing game in which the player switches between left and right lanes to avoid other cars passing through. The player loses if the car hits one of them. The higher the level, the game's speed will be faster. *A multi-directional shooter in a similar vein to Namco's Battle City. The player shoots enemies in the screen until a certain number has achieved, then each level is ended with a short boss battle. The boss battle will be more difficult at higher levels, requiring precise shooting. *A classic "snake" game, often with gimmicks added. *A vertical fixed shooter where rows of blocks gradualy descending down the screen, and the player must shoot them before they reach the bottom. The player loses if all blocks reached the bottom. *Another shooting game that combines the aforementioned fixed shooter with elements of Tetris. The player shoots blocks from below to form a complete horizontal line to clear them. *An adaptation of Konami's Frogger. The player controls a flashing dot and has to cross the rows without touching any moving tiles throughout the level. *A Breakout or Pong inspired game. Uncommon games These can only be found on certain models *A vertical shooter based on Namco's Galaga. Several rows of blocks act as enemies at the top of the screen, and they will fall down one by one. The player must eliminate the entire rows without getting hit by falling blocks. *A matching game consisting of three different shaped blocks appear at the top and bottom of the screen. The upper blocks will descend down and the player must match the lower blocks with its upper counterpart. *A whack-a-mole style game in which the player must use the fire and directional buttons to hit one of the four corresponding targets on the screen. The player loses if either he/she presses the wrong button, or taking too long to press. *Another racing game, but the car can move freely across the screen instead of just moving in left and right lanes. Also, the player avoids walls instead of other passing cars. *A game that is like dice and money bets with the score. *A musical type game where you press the buttons that indicate the screen to follow the music if you fail or play the wrong the player loses. Variants Chinese The Chinese/Asian Brick Game is the most common variant found worldwide. It is notable for using two AA batteries and comes in many different sizes and shapes, ranging from a small "keychain" model to a large, unique models that resemble an old mobile phone or a game controller. Russian The Russian variant of the Brick Game can be found across Russia, Eastern Europe and former Soviet republics. This model usually has only standard shape; the regular rectangular shape with some sort of curved part in the middle, separating the buttons and the LCD. Unlike Asian variants, the Russian version usually uses three batteries instead of two (both AA and AAA type), and known for its loud sound. es:Brick Game Category:Third generation Category:Handheld